BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
Pope Francis met today with a leading newspaper in Barcelona, La Vanguardia, to discuss secessionist movements in Europe. During his interview with the Catalonian newspaper, Pope Francis said he was concerned about everything which has been thrown at poor Pius XII, noting the many Jews he had hidden in the convents of Rome and other ...read more
Carl Hétu National Director of CNEWA Canada sharing stories from the Holy Land. Pope Francis touched the hearts of many people during his last trip to the Holy Land. One of them works for CNEWA in the Jerusalem office. Joseph Harzboun’s family is amongst the 5 families invited to have lunch with Pope Francis. Here ...read more
As France prepared to enter the Second World War, Roger Schutz-Marsauche, a 25 year old Swiss man, inspired by the Gospel ideals of reconciliation and fraternity sought to establish a community of men where kindness of heart and simplicity would be at the centre of everything. What started out as a small group of brothers ...read more
On June 11th we celebrate the feast of St. Barnabas. The Church sees him as an apostle though he was not one of the twelve. We first hear about him in the Acts of the Apostles, where he is given the name Barnabas which means “Son of Encouragement” (Acts 4).  And he lived up to ...read more
Venerable Father Michael J. McGivney was born to Irish immigrants on Aug. 12 1852 in Waterbury, Conn. As the eldest of 13 children, six of whom died early in childhood, McGivney began working at the age of 13 in Connecticut’s metal industry. But, with the priesthood resonating in his mind, at the age of 16, ...read more
The President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, delivered remarks to the participants in the Invocation for Peace here at the Vatican on Sunday evening. Below, please find the full text, in English, of President Abbas’ prepared remarks. In the Name of God, the Most Gracious and Most Merciful Your Holiness Pope Francis Your Excellency President Shimon Peres, ...read more
The President of Israel, Shimon Peres, delivered remarks at the Invocation for Peace gathering in the Vatican on Sunday evening. Below, please find the full text, in English, of President Peres’ prepared remarks. Your Holiness Pope Francis, Your Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas, I have come from the Holy City of Jerusalem to thank you for ...read more
Pope Francis delivered remarks to the Presidents of Palestine and Israel, Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres, along with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, and delegations representing Jews, Christians and Muslims, all of whom were gathered in the Vatican Pentecost Sunday evening to pray for peace in the Middle East and throughout the world. ...read more
Part two of a reflection for the Solemnity of Pentecost. The readings are Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 103; Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 and John 20: 19-23. Read part one here. My first experience with the Holy Spirit was when I was about 12 years old. A new associate pastor arrived at our parish in Panama that year. ...read more
Part one of a reflection for the Solemnity of Pentecost. The readings are Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 103; Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13 and John 20: 19-23. Tomorrow we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit and in the readings we have two completely different versions of the same event. In the book of Acts, Luke describes the ...read more